798 CISTACEAE 



several : sepals 5-6 mm. long, acuminate, densely pubescent : corolla yellow, 9-11 mm. 

 broad : capsules oval-oblong or broadly oblong, 3-4 mm. long, sparingly pubescent. 

 On the dry summit of Table Rock and adjacent peaks, Xorth Carolina. Summer. 



2. Hudsonia ericoides L. Bushy-branched from the base, greenish, softly-pubes- 

 cent throughout, 1-2 dm. high, the principal branches slender, ascending. Leaves subu- 

 late, 6-8 mm. long, somewhat spreading, densely imbricated on the younger branches, 

 more scattered on the older ones : pedicels very slender, 10-15 mm. long : flowers numer- 

 ous : corolla about 8 mm. broad : sepals 4-6 mm. long, obtuse or acutish : capsules oblong, 

 slightly jaubescent : seeds about 3. 



In dry sandy soil, especially in pine lands near the coast. Nova Scotia to Xorth Carolina. Spring. 



3. Hudsonia tomentosa Nutt. Densely tufted and intricately branched, matted 

 hoary-pubescent, pale, 1-2 dm. high, the branches stout, ascending. Leaves 2 mm. long, 

 oval or oblong, densely imbricated and appi'essed : flowers sessile, or nearly so, numerous, 

 slightly smaller than those of the preceding species : sepals obtuse : capsules ovoid, 

 glabrous, usually 1-seeded. 



In sands of the seashore and in pine lands, New Brunswick to North Carolina, and on lake and 

 river shores west to Slave Lake and the Lake of the Woods. Spring and early summer. 



3. LECHEA L. 



Perennial branching herbs, often woody at the base, with erect or spreading stems, 

 producing leafy shoots at the base in the fall. Leaves numerous : blades entire. Flowers 

 minute, panicled, greenish or purplish. Sepals 5, the two outer smaller and narrower. 

 Petals 3, ovate to linear, inconspicuous, persistent. Stamens 3-12. Stigmas 3, nearly 

 sessile, laciniate, prominent when the plant is in flower. Capsule 3-valved, 3-celled, or 

 by obliteration of the dissepiments 1-celled, about 6-.seeded. Embryo curved or spiral. 

 Pin-weed. 



Placentae of the capsule fragile, separating from the thin dissepiments, the margins revolute. 

 Leaf-blades of the basal shoots ovate or oblong, not more than about 3 times as long as wide. 

 Outer sepals longer than the inner. 



Outer sepals shorter than the inner or about equalling them in length. 

 Capsules oblong : pedicels 2-4 mm. long. 

 Capsules globose : pedicels about 1 mm. long. 

 Foliage villous : stems erect. 



Stem-leaves 1.5-2.5 mm. long : branches erect or ascending. 

 Stem-leaves 4-8 mm. long : branches spreading. 

 Foliage tomentose-caneseent : stems ascending. 

 Leaf-blades of the basal shoots linear or lanceolate, more than 3 times as long 

 as wide. 

 Stem-leaves with narrowly linear blades : inner sepals 1-nerved. 

 Stem-leaves with linear or oblong-linear blades : inner sepals 3-nerved. 

 Capsules 1 mm. in diameter. 

 Capsules 1.5 mm. in diameter. 



Capsules ellipsoidal : plant cinereous. 

 Capsules obovoid : plant green. 

 Placentae of the capsule leathery, the margins not revolute: dissepiments persistent. 



1. Lechea minor L. Foliage more or less pubescentwithappressed hairs. Stems erect, 

 1.5-6 dm. high, freely branching above, the branches slender, erect or ascending: stem- 

 leaves with oval or oblong blades 8-15 mm. long, 4—6 mm. wide, acutish or obtuse, ciliate, 

 the upper smaller than tlie lower ; petioles 2 mm. long : leaves of the basal shoots oval or 

 oblong, obtuse, 6-10 mm. long, 5-6 mm. wide : panicle very leafy : flowers close together, 

 somewhat secund : petals red-purple : outer sepals longer than the inner and longer than the 

 obovoid or globose pod. 



In dry open grounds, eastern Massachusetts to Michigan, south to Florida and Louisiana. Summer. 



2. Lechea racemulosa Michx. Foliage slightly pilose-pubescent throughout with ap- 

 pressed hairs. Stems erect, 1.5-5 dm. high, freely branching above, the branches slender, 

 divergent or ascending : leaves of the stem with oblong or linear-oblong, obtuse or acutish 

 blades narrowed at the base, 8-18 mm. long, 3-4 mm. wide : leaves of the basal shoots oval 

 or oblong, 4-8 mm. long, 3-6 mm. wide, obtuse ; petioles about 2 mm. long : panicle 

 sparsely leafy, the branches spreading or ascending : flowers on slender divergent pedicels. 

 2-4 mm. long : outer sepals equalling or shorter than the inner : pod oblong or ellipsoid. 



In dry rocky or sandy soil, Martha's Vineyard to Indiana, Florida and Tennessee. Summer. 



3. Lechea vUlosa Ell. Foliage villous-pubescent with spreading hairs. Stems erect, 

 3-j8dm. high, branching above, leafy, the branches rather stout, ascending: leaves of the stem 

 with oblong-elliptic acute or acutish blades, 15-25 mm. long, 6-10 mm. wide ; petioles 1 



